Steering systems generally assist the operator of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle during use. Generally, steering systems have a steering assist unit, such as a rack and pinion mechanism, which can have a fixed range of travel. In certain driving conditions, however, it may be desirable to have a greater range of travel for the steering system, such as when parking the vehicle. However, having a greater range of travel may be undesirable when the vehicle is traveling over uneven surfaces given that different components of the vehicle may interfere with each other.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for variable steering assist during the operation of the vehicle. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.